Grims Reproach
by Havin'ALaughInsideTheTARDIS
Summary: Years after the fall of Voldemort, and the Wizarding world has fallen quiet. But when muggle-born Etrius Blake begins to hear voices, and attacks by so-called returned Death Eaters, she realises that the danger has only just begun.
1. Chapter 1

Change is an alarming but necessary aspect of life, you can't _not _change, the world is clockwork, and we are the gears, so we must keep turning. But sometimes, people can change for the worse.

I wasn't exactly cheerful, but compared to now I was pleasant. I passed my studies with a breeze. My OWL's were the highest in the class. I was in a downward spiral of modesty and revolting good moods. But of course the past few years have been… let's just say more than ordinary.

I guess the first inkling of trouble began on a rather reminiscent Tuesday. And we were in the middle of celebrating the Potter's Day feast. For those who don't know Potter's Day marked the anniversary of the Murder of Lord Voldemort. When child enigma Harry Potter fulfilled the prophecy and rid the world of the Dark Lord. I started school at Hogwarts a year later, you never would have thought great battles were fought in this place, everything was brand new, but yet it seemed old and rustic at the same time.

You wouldn't have believed my surprise when I received my acceptance letter, Muggle born, mundane; nothing seemed very exceptional about me. Until I learnt that those odd things happening to me all these years wasn't coincidence. I had always been reclusive and stayed away from everyone else. After getting my letter it was to my utter realisation that I'd never had an actual friend before. When I started school I decided to start anew and gave an actual effort to make friends. These people _were _the same as me, now I had people I could relate to.

So it came that after I Etrius Blake of Ravenclaw was sorted, I found my people. Or more, _person_. An utter recluse of the name Isaac Earner, he was blonde and bespectacled. Some fourth years had put a pack of filibuster in his trunk and set it off as he was trying to lug it up the stairs into the boy's common room. I put a neat bat bogey hex I learnt over the holidays on the fourth years. I earned two weeks detention but after earning Isaac's friendship I decided it was worth it.

So there we were, four years later, positioned at the Ravenclaw table listening to Headmistress McGonagall giving another speech about Harry Potter.

"I was there after his parents died." She said gravely, I resisted rolling my eyes at her over-used story, "He was so small, you'd never believe all the things he would grow up to be. And so it came on that day, Harry Potter's parent's died, shocking the wizarding world at the Dark Lords defeat. Harry Potter was laid on the doorstep of Number four Privet Drive, and he was condemned for years of not knowing his true bloodline and abilities. It was in one of my classes with him that I noticed-"

I blanked out, I wanted to speak to Isaac under my breath but any noise in the Great Hall was echoed for everyone else to hear unless everyone else was talking. McGonagall continued for another few minutes, but I could tell she knew the students were getting weary, especially the Slytherins. She ended her speech, the students clapped, and our banquet materialised before our very eyes. I was starving, and I quickly heaped my plate with mountains of roasted chicken and potatoes.

"I thought that would never end." Isaac muttered, pushing his glasses back into his face. With our green eyes and blonde hair, we could have easily been mistaken for brother and sister. Isaac had no siblings though, like me.

"Hey Etrius," an Irish boy named Ferdinand Newick leaned across the table, "You attending Harry Potters speech day?"

I rolled my eyes. "No." Every year on the Potters week The Boy who lived himself visited all the wizarding schools, giving speeches on courage and friendship and all that god-awful stuff. I attended the first one, everyone was all riled up but I didn't know what all the fuss was about. Just some dude with a scar, blabbing. I got bored, and studied in the common room instead. It was mandatory but I always got out of it.

"Why not?" Ferdinand asked. I shrugged. Ferdinand muttered a 'whatever' and went back to his roast; Isaac was nibbling quietly on his.

After dinner I headed back to the Ravenclaw tower, I went into the common room and plonked myself down in a squashy blue armchair next to the fire, its flames especially charmed to burn the colours of Ravenclaw, blue and bronze. I spent the next few hours studying in the common rooms. Then eventually I fell asleep.

"Wake up!"

"Ugh?"

"Etrius wake up!"

"Ah!"

I would have jolted upright, but I already was in that armchair, all I could do was rock forwards sending my book on Werewolves to the floor. My head barely missed smashing into Isaacs's nose, his bright green eyes sparkled with fear.

"What's wrong?" I asked, now noticing the whole Ravenclaw house was packed into the common room, most still in their pyjamas, I was still in my robes from yesterday.

"There's been an attack!" Isaac said, my eyes widened.

"In the school?" The events of five years ago still haunted most of the people there; an attack was certainly going to rouse everyone.

"No, outside."

"What happened?" I glanced up at the clock, 2:00 am.

"Some muggles were murdered. But it's not who was murdered that's terrifying everyone, it's who murdered them."

"Who was it?"

Isaac hesitated.

"Who was it?" I repeated.

"They're back," He said nervously, "The Death Eaters have returned."


	2. Chapter 2

For a shocked moment I could only stare, I opened my mouth to question him but an all too familiar voice began echoing around the common room.

"STUDENTS OUT OF BEDS!" Filtch hollered, staggering into the room, his horrible cat Mrs Norris was perched on his shoulder, eying us deceitfully. "STUDENTS IN THE HALLWAYS!" Filtch yelled again. I saw some of the first years whimper and go back up the stairs. Professor McGonagall came into the room, her long robes trailing behind her.

"STUDENTS OUT OF-"

"Quiet down Mr Filtch!" McGonagall scolded, Filtch quietened, but addressed the students with a withering glare.

"Ravenclaw students," McGonagall, "no doubt you would have received word that there was an attack in Chiswick late last night. One student must have found out via owl and spread the news… But there is nothing to fear, the Ministry have begun searching for the culprits, but they do wish to limit your involvement. Now if you will all go back to-"

"But I thought they had caught all the death eaters?" A meek voice came from one of the students, the crowd parted to reveal a first year in a nightdress. Everyone stared.

McGonagall swallowed. "Yes, they had." She said quietly.

"Does that mean that more people are starting to follow the dark lord?" Another voice, a sixth year boy.

"Did they make the Dark Mark?"

"Are they going to keep killing people?"

"What about my parents?"

"Are the Ministry going to do anything?"

The common room suddenly became a buzz of panic; I got up out of the chair and picked up my werewolf book. I had enough; I was going to bed.

"RAVENCLAW HOUSE!" McGonagall shouted; the common room fell silent. McGonagall continued. "All of your questions will be answered in due time! But for now I must insist you go to bed, classes are early in the morning. Scoot!"

There was a brief pause; then the students began to reluctantly trudge to their rooms. I followed, gripping my book tightly under my arm, my thoughts buzzing. As I entered the girl's dormitory I rushed towards Harriet, a girl in my year.

"Who did they kill?" I asked her in a hushed whisper.

She shrugged, flicking her brown hair behind her. "Some elderly couple, Mr and Mrs Wrigley. Tragic story, they even had the _Dark Mark _above their house and everything! And on Potters day! I'd say they did it as some sort of warning, maybe old 'Voldy has got some new followers!"

I didn't want to hear any more, I simply nodded and went to my bed, I got my Pyjama's on and crawled under the covers, wide-awake.

Not many of us slept well that night.

* * *

The great hall in the morning was hectic.

When I came down for breakfast, the most popular item of gossip was the attack. I sat down next to Isaac, drumming my fingers eagerly on the table. Waiting for my copy of _The Daily Prophet_, a few minutes later almost a hundred owls soared in through the window, clutching letters and parcels. A large Tawny owl dropped a newspaper in front of me; I opened to the front page and began reading.

_Wizarding world gets alarming wake-up call._

_Bernard and Linda Wrigley were two seemingly normal Muggle retirees, both found dead in their living room yesterday afternoon. Neighbour Beryl Folgus found the two bodies, when questioned by Aurors she said she remembered seeing shadows through the curtains at noon that day When she dropped by later she said to have seen "A scary looking cloud" above the house, which the ministry have confirmed to be the Dark Mark. Mrs Folgus said the house looked "Fine and Dandy as usual." But upon walking into the living room she found them both lain on the ground, covered in blood. Upon further investigation Muggle police confirmed that several internal organs had been removed, including both the couples hearts. After Aurors erased Mrs Folgus's memory (She now believes they have moved far away) The Ministry has now confirmed that there seems to be a new breed of Death Eater on the rise, ones that leave the dark mark but use messier means other than magic to kill their victims. They are awaiting any other evidence relating to the murders, if you have any information concerning these events please contact the ministry as soon as possible._

After reading it over a few times I became aware if Isaac looking over my shoulder, I elbowed him.

"Get your own newspaper." I said.

"Oh come on Etrius," Isaac whined, "you know I can't afford my own!"

I heaved a sigh, and passed it to him, I began to munch on my breakfast. Soon the time for classes came and I got up to get my books, up first we had care of Magical Creatures with the Hufflepuffs, Isaac and I traipsed across the grounds to Professor Hagrid's hut.

Professor Hagrid stepped out; he walked past the Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs. As he began talking I tried to fix my curly, blonde, flyaway hair.

"Alrigh'." Professor Hagrid was saying. "Today we're going teh' be studying Gromlocks. Can anyone tell me about them?"

I tentatively raised my hand.

"Ah! Miss Blake."

"Gromlocks are nocturnal creatures normally found in mountains or caves," I explained, "They are herbivores, and have a distinctively ridged spine and wings. They aren't usually considered dangerous, but some people have been known to suffer bad Gromlock bites."

"Thank yeh Miss Blake! Does anyone have anything teh add?"

Nobody said anything, I was definitely smarter than them all, and I had previously studied Gromlocks a few months earlier in a book called _a bountiful guide to mountainous beasts. _

"Do they really bite you?" Kendra Fuller, a Hufflepuff girl asked.

"Only in self-defence." I said. "You'd really have to attack them though, they are generally peaceful beings."

"Alrigh'." Hagrid announced, "We're just gonna' go a little way inteh the woods now, if you'll follow me."

Hagrid turned and we all wandered behind him a short way until we reached a small clearing. In the middle, tied to a tree and quietly grazing the grass was a Gromlock.

It's always exciting to read about something in books and see them in real life; the Gromlock was exactly like the book has said. 3 feet tall, spherical body, dark skinned and scaly, leathery and torn wings, big bulging eyes, sharp claws, and a big mouth for chewing grass and leaves. It's long tail swished behind it, the students oohed and aahed.

"Okay," Professor Hagrid said, "Now we're going teh' feed them."

* * *

I hesitantly itched at the scars on my arms, lugging my trunk behind me towards the train. One thing that _a bountiful guide to mountainous beasts _conveniently left out is the fact that Gromlocks love to tear up their fruit into little pieces before they eat them, and they evidently don't differentiate between food and a student's arms. Still though, I got off a lot better than Isaac, who had a large claw swipe across his face, a scratch under his eye magnified by his massive glasses. Fortunately though, Hagrid got to keep his job, no students filed any complaints, and the scratches weren't even as bad as a cat's. The whole of Ravenclaw house knows too well how much worse for wear you can get if you disturb Melissa Helmsley's Cat, Mitten.

The train whistled and we scrambled on, my trunk weighed a ton, probably because it was loaded down with spell books and holiday homework. Isaac and I managed to find an empty compartment; we plonked down, out of breath. A few minutes later we were joined by Ferdinand and Harriet, I didn't complain, they didn't irritate me like so many other people.

"So," Ferdinand said, grinning broadly, he sat down next to Isaac while Harriet joined me. "Fifth Year next year!"

I had almost forgotten that Ferdinand had an infuriating habit of pointing out the bloody obvious. Instead of slapping him I just forced a smile a murmured in agreement.

"Just three years and we'll be legal wizards!" Isaac declared, he leant back against the train window, "That'll be amazing…"

I usually did a good job of curbing my enthusiasm, it was just one of my many rules, but I couldn't help but feel my fake smile become real. Isaac did have a good point, I was closer to graduating, and I was getting top marks, why shouldn't I have felt happy?

The answer came not long after.

The Hogwarts express pulled into platform 9 & ¾, and students clamoured to get off the train, owls hooted and screeched, and a few cats here and there yowled, skirting between people's legs.

I stumbled off the train; Isaac by my side, the smoke clouding my vision, I squinted, trying to find the figures of my parents. I finally spotted them by the brick wall leading out into the Muggle train station. I hurried over to them, they shouted hello, and the horror began. I winced as they gathered me into a rib-crushing hug, hurling questions at me.

"How was your year?"

"Was the train ride good?"

"How's your friend Isaac?"

"Did you have fun?"

I wasn't quite ready for the onslaught, so I just put on a cheerful voice and just answered everything with "great!" We quickly saw Isaacs's parents, said our hellos and goodbyes, and then hurriedly left to the crowded King's Cross car park. I jammed my loaded trunk in the boot of the car, and climbed into the back of the car. We drove through London, the familiar sights filling my brain with head-spinning memories. My parents grilled me for details, how my studies were, if I had made any new friends, if I had any boys in my life (I definitely don't want to make time in my life for all that stuff.)

Soon we reached our apartment in the city, the first thing I wanted to do was go upstairs and begin on my homework, but spending all that time away from my parents had make them excruciatingly clingy, the first thing they did was begin making lunch to celebrate me coming home. There was cake and everything (though for that I'm not complaining.)

Then hour of updates on everything I had missed, the lady who owned the shop down the road had died, I was secretly happy, I really didn't like her. After helping clean up the kitchen I asked to be excused, I sprinted up the stairs and quickly shut the door behind me. On my desk I saw my phone, gathering dust on its time spent waiting for me, I had to leave it behind because electronics couldn't work at Hogwarts, too much magic in the air. Not that I was overly attached to it, I only ever used it to talk to Isaac in the holidays anyway.

I began on my charms homework, not much needed to be done, we just had to review our notes on all the charms we had learnt over the year and provide a summary on them all. I worked on it for a little while until my phone buzzed. I glanced over, a message from Isaac.

_Get back all right?_

I texted him back:

_No, the car crashed and I'm bleeding EVERYWHERE_

_Cute. I need help with my Werewolf assignment._

_Sorry, I'm on Charms. Ask Harriet or Ferdinand._

_Do I LOOK LIKE someone who owns an owl?_

I grinned, glad that Isaac was Muggle born; like me. Our only other two friends were Purebloods, and they only had owls, conversations had to be shared over days at a time. I just didn't think that was practical, when you could just send a message like 'that' on a phone. I eventually told Isaac what he needed to know for his werewolf assignment.

I checked the time, it was 6:00. I had been up in my room a lot longer than I thought; I was surprised my parents had left me in peace for so long. I tentatively got up, my legs sore from sitting down; I crept down the stairs, entering the parlour. Marie, our maid was dusting off a piece of china.

"Hello Etrius." She said with a smile,

"Hi Marie, have you seen my parents?"

"They're at work, they got called in."

"Oh, okay." My parents ran this big bank in London so we were pretty rich, "I'm going for a walk; I shouldn't be too long."

I left Marie to her dusting, grabbed my coat and went out the door. I wasn't usually one to condone regular exercise, but I just wanted to see the sights and stretch my legs.

After walking for about an hour I eventually reached the not-so-safe part of London, where squalor wasn't uncommon. I walked down an alleyway, the stone beneath my feet still wet from recent rain, the only light source a hazy orange street light casting my shadow long against the ground. A group of overflowing trash bins nestled in the corner and graffiti covered the walls.

My breath went cold.

I stopped short as the air left my lungs in icy puffs, it wasn't exactly a tropical island earlier but I certainly didn't remember it being _that _cold. The light behind me flickered and went out, and I switched around. Something didn't feel right, I felt upset, I felt empty, I felt as if-

-I would never be happy again…

I grabbed my wand from my front pocket, I knew all too well about the dangers of Dementors, about how they were on Lord Voldemort's side as well as being prison guards for Azkaban. Most of the Dementors had been hunted down and destroyed by the Aurors after Voldemort's fall, but there were tales of scavengers, plucking peoples souls in the middle of the night, baffling Muggle doctors. I knew how to defend myself, I knew how to act, we had been taught the proper spells to ward them off, my wand raised; I peered around the gloomy alley.

"Lumos." I muttered under my breath, harsh blue light illuminated the alley. I looked around again, doubting myself for a moment, maybe there weren't any Dementors, maybe it had just gotten a bit chillier, and the sadness was all in my head.

"I'm going home." I said to myself, I didn't know why, but talking aloud to myself made me feel less delusional. I put out the light in my wand and put it in my pocket, and then I turned to go back the way I came-

-And cried out in gut wrenching fear.

Three of them, dark cloaked and graceful, silently gliding through the alleyway towards me, their bony blackened fingers reached out for me. For a moment I stood frozen in terror, able to do nothing but watch the figures come towards me. Something in my brain cried out, and I snapped out of it, my limbs could move again. I whisked my wand out of my pocket, pointed it at the Dementors, summoned a happy thought and shouted as loudly as I could:

"EXPECTO PAT-"

_Etrius..._

I stopped before I could finish, I heard that Dementors made you remember a bad memory, where you were scared and afraid, but the voice that had appeared in my head, however scratching and raspy didn't scare me, its familiarity was astounding. The Dementors stopped a few feet in front of me, not pausing to attack though; they looked expectant. I didn't care; I just raised my wand again.

_Come home to us Etrius…_

"EXPECTO PATRONUM!"

Brilliant silver light erupted from my wand, and my patronus, in its form of a dragon, flew through the air, slamming into the Dementors, the light scattering as it smashed through them. The Dementors all screeched in unison, flying up and out of the alley, the darkness of the moonless sky enveloping them.

* * *

I sprinted up the stairs, ignoring Marie calling me to dinner. I burst into my room; slamming it shut behind me, panting like crazy, my head pounding. I slid down onto the floor, still against the door, holding my face in my hands.

"What is happening?" I groaned.

'Come home to us Etrius?' What did the Dementors mean? This was my home, here in London! I didn't know what I was supposed to make of what happened. Maybe those Dementors were insane, like there were actually sane ones or something. Maybe they were just trying to mess my head, it probably worked anyway, I ran the entire way home, not even looking back, my wand raised and ready to ward off any more.

I stayed sitting for a little while longer, until I eventually got up to go downstairs for dinner, Marie had kept it in the oven for me. How nice of her. I ate in silence, alone at the dinner table, my mind churning things over, occasionally glancing at the window for any cloaked figured lurking outside.

I finished my food in a daze, went upstairs and finished my charms homework. I got dressed into my pyjamas and cleaned my teeth. I read for a while, then climbed into bed, turned off the light, and lay in the darkness, staring into nothingness.

That was the first night the nightmares began.


End file.
